MIGRATION AS WAY TO STRENGTH

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 151, 22 March 1939, Page 8

MIGRATION AS WAY TO STRENGTH

Filling Empire’s Empty Spaces

EXPLOITING POTENTIAL WEALTH

The case for the institution of a scheme of planned migration Between the United Kingdom and her overseas dependencies was placed before the Wellington Rotary Club yesterday by Mr. H. Amos, organizer of the Dominion Settlement Association. “Many of us have long been disturbed at the empty spaces in our vast possessions with their great potential wealth and their almost unlimited natural resources,” said Mr. Amos. The Dominions were dangerously underpopulated and England was economically overcrowded. England today was the'most densely populated country in the world. Man-power, continued Mr. Amos, was the only factor that seemingly appealed to the atavistic policy and pagan creed of the totalitarian States. This was a lamentable conclusion, but be believed it was true. It was estimated that the British Empire could accommodate two hundred million people Some might say that was absurd, that it would only lead to over-population and result in poverty and starvation. There never was a greater fallacy, and when the position was examined that was clear. Sociologists told us that the world was not suffering from overproduction, but under-consumption, and the problem was bow to consume more.

Man Power and Unemployment.

The modern proposals for migration and settlement were based on a candid recognition of past mistakes and on a determination to eliminate them by businesslike and scientific methods. Migration today must be carefully planned and organized, adequately financed and properly supervised.

Apart from the very great weakness of the Empire, namely, that of manpower, the other great weakness was .that of unemployment. It was true that every industrial country was suffering similarly, but no other country possessed New Zealand’s potential wealth and natural resources, and therefore the same opportunities of curing the evil. National security, however, must be placed before social and economic security.

Migration not only would fill up the empty spaces iu the British Dominions, thereby increasing the man-power and making the Empire strong and powerful enough to enforce and maintain world peace, but it could also cure unemployment within the Empire. “It is possible by wise foresight and statesmanship to initiate in the Empire an era of prosperity and progress through migration such as the world has never yet seen anywhere at any time.”

The job was not one for one man, but for every citizen in New Zealand. He appealed to those present to help this worthy cause.